It just happened again in 1253. When I re-sized the window to full screen the balls popped back on. Then I clicked on one and it disappeared again. Again I re-sized back to the smaller version they came back on again. Must be a refresh thing.

I've been so busy working on my latest Anim8or project that I missed one update and now 1253! Now I need to stop and play with the new IK toys. I've been working with 1247 since it was released and only found one problem. Sometimes when the Materials Tool bar is open the colored balls would disappear. Selecting and applying still worked but the icons were just missing. Then all of a sudden they came back. I couldn't make it happen. I was editing and moving points and lines. then I would do a fill holes and select a material.

Being retired too, I understand Steve's feelings. I have projects that I love to share with friends and apply all my efforts without monetary gain. I'm so happy that we can all participate in this great program with him.

Yes. When you activate the Arc Rotate there are little boxes on the outer circle. grab a left or right one with the pointer ans LMbutton or the top an bottom one and you will lock the motion. Then just drag. Holding the RMButton in the circle lets you drag the object and scroll wheel zooms in or out. I almost never use the arc rotate button because it stay on till clicked again. I use the alt key as I edit to rearrange the screen as I work. When you releast the slt key the arc rotate goes off. Learn the keyboard short cuts they make editing and creating work easier and smoother.

Ahhh! A light went on. When you said "The pivot is the center of the object for things like rotation ans scaling", Steve, my brain lit up. Now I understand how to use Object/Axis tools. Your response to my problem with the bounding box may not have been on point, but, It brought me a clear and now great tool. I get the Object/Axis tools now. Now I need to clear up world/object/screen coordinates so I get even better. By the way I don't always use Tool Tips all the time but I noticed when I turn them on they turn off on their own sometimes. I currently using Build 1240 and am about to start using your new build this week.

Thanks Steve. The Object/Axis tools are still my weakest area of use. I haven't been able to figure out how this works. I see the origin arrows move but what am I doing? There are three setting but I'm not sure how to use them. When the ruler is on and I move the origin the numbers change. My brain cant grasp what's happening. I'll keep playing with it cause it could be a game changer for me.

Wow, thanks guys. Join Solids was the fix. I agree that having the box out of sync wasn't a real problem, it was just confusing when I zoomed in and the lines were odd and confusing. It never seemed to happen to me before. I'll add it to my personal help notes.

With all the great changes to Anim8or, it might be a good time to create an addendum to the help file. Until Steve authorizes a new edition.

I started to create an object an object. after working for a long time I realized that it wasn't centered in the box and now pointed off center. Will this cause a problem later? Is there a fix? I couldn't find one in the help file.

Wow. Normal Maps, Displacement Maps and IK tool. More to learn. Its lucky I'm retired and have plenty of time. I just got good at using bones, skinning and bump maps. Not to mention all the new interface goodies from Steve.

I agree, Anim8or is an advanced 3D program.Long ago, when I decided I wanted to learn 3D graphics, I found Anim8or version 0.7. I was excited to find a free product that had so much potential. Unfortunately I was dumbfounded because I had no basic knowledge. I struggled for weeks to understand the tool bar. I worked with the tutorials but still I was confused by which tool set to use. I was lost.

It took a lot of trying and having light bulbs flash over my head as I worked out the interface. It took me 2 years to realize how it all worked. I won the battle when I worked and played and failed over and over. Now I'm comfortable with the tools. The hardest thing to learn was moving bones and why a Sequence wasn't the same as a Scene.

I wouldn't say I'm a master user, but with all the new goodies in today's version I'm becoming a real 3D animator.

So much to learn still and what a lot of fun finding all the neat new stuff. (I still don't get the IK tools yet.)

I've been on and off this forum for years. I remember the long wait to see if Anim8or was going to be brought up to 1.0.

I really love the work done in the last few years of 0.98. I have always loved this software. I had a long learning period in the early days, but with persistence I kept at it and now I have a super, great, awesome tool!

I'm a 2D animator, artist and digital musician. But now is the time to get deeper into 3D. The design time curve for building objects is so nice with the latest tools. I love layers, fast select and Alt Arc Rotate the best. I just downloaded Build 1240 and am trying to test all the new stuff.